GDC Online: Zipline Games' Moai Platform To Support Google Chrome

Zipline Games announced today that its Lua-based Moai game development platform will now support Google's Native Client SDK, allowing developers to launch their games via the Chrome Web Store as browser-based applications. This Moai update, detailed at this week's GDC Online show in Austin, will coincide with the next stable version of Google Chrome, which includes support for OpenGL ES 2.0. "Native Client is huge," said Zipline CEO Todd Hopper. "We’ve talked to a dozen web-based social game developers who are ramping up mobile development efforts, and we know very successful iOS and Android game developers who are planning for web distribution of their titles." "Moai support for Google’s Native Client SDK gives both of these groups a terrific alternative to full game ports for each new platform. We’re very pleased to see Google leading in this area by supporting Native Client and OpenGL in Chrome," he said. Earlier this year, ex-Microsoft Games Studios vice president Shane Kim joined Zipline Games' board of directors to advise the company on developing the Moai platform and forging new studio partnerships. The Moai game development platform went into open beta this July, and has been used for titles such as HareBrained Schemes' Crimson: Steam Pirates and Nay Games' iOS title Bubble Ball.